Mercedes-Benz announces partnership with Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka

On:08/03/2019

Mercedes-Benz
announces R20 million investment into Qhubeka
Charity’s Real Bicycle Co. and partnership with Team Dimension Data for
Qhubeka

CAPE TOWN. Mercedes-Benz
continues to support the Laureus legacy through its role as the country patron
sponsor in South Africa. “Mercedes-Benz and Laureus both believe in the power
of passion, determination and perseverance. Laureus imparts these qualities to
young disadvantaged people through the medium of sport.

“Both Mercedes-Benz and Laureus enrich the lives of young
people by enabling them to identify their personal strengths and learn how to
get the best out of their abilities. But, to change the world for the better,
we need to keep moving forward,” says Johannes Fritz, Co-CEO of Mercedes-Benz
South Africa and Executive Director of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Mercedes-Benz and
Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka

Mercedes-Benz South Africa will be the official vehicle
sponsor for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, in a deal which will see the
German automotive giant as the team’s official vehicle partner for three years.
“Through this sponsorship, we hope to be able to continue the efforts to
promote South African and African participation within the greatest spectator
tournament in the world.

“In fact just last year, the Amaury Sport Organization, the
organisers of the Tour De France, agreed to fund one Qhubeka/RBC Bicycle for
every rider in the Tour. That is, 176 bicycles in total as part of its ‘future
of cycling’ initiative that will provide cycling equipment for children until
2020,” says Fritz.

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka, a Laureus Ambassador since
2014, will carry the three-pointed star on the collar of their jerseys, and
drive a wide-range of vehicles as they race across the globe over approximately
280 days in 2019. “Mercedes-Benz has been an incredible supporter of our Team
Dimension Data UCI Continental Team in South Africa and the Qhubeka Charity,
this shows how much they care about the development of people, sports talent
and the mobility of communities.

“To extend that partnership into the World Tour team is a
real privilege where high performance and reliability across our demanding race
schedule in multiple countries and varied terrain is critical to our success,”
says Douglas Ryder, Team Principal of Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka.

Mercedes-Benz,
Qhubeka Charity and Real Bicycle Co.

It is through the strong relationship between Mercedes-Benz
and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation that Mercedes-Benz was introduced to Qhubeka
Charity — a non-profit company that works to move people forward by improving
their access to schools, clinics and jobs with bicycles. In 2017, Qhubeka
Charity established a fully-owned bicycle design and manufacturing subsidiary,
Real Bicycle Co. (RBC), which shares a hometown with the automotive
manufacturer’s plant.

Mercedes-Benz will invest R20 million rand into RBC through an
enterprise and supplier development fund. The move from importing and
assembling bicycles to manufacturing them locally will contribute to job
creation and skills transfer; stimulating the local economy and shaping the
future of mobility.

“We are excited to be producing our own bicycles through
RBC. This wouldn’t have been possible without the buy-in of Mercedes-Benz South
Africa, who provided not only the funding we needed to establish the factory,
but their invaluable expertise in the automotive manufacturing environment,”
says Anthony Fitzhenry, Qhubeka Charity founder.

Mercedes-Benz will also purchase 350 RBC-built bicycles
from Qhubeka Charity. These will be donated to learners of Nyameko High School
in Mdantsane, which is part of the company’s School Transformation and
Empowerment Programme (STEP) programme. The RBC-built bicycles will also retail
to the general public.

“We are extremely proud of the ongoing work being done by the
Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka and Qhubeka
Charity. We are glad that we as Mercedes-Benz South Africa, can contribute
towards the sustainability and expansion of this great work,” concludes Fritz.